The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-07-28

! bic one. he said, before answering b
application; the work is entirely clericl
and not very interesting. fear.
The nature Of the work will moi troub
me II can only do il. was the reassuflr
reply Of Mi. Furgerson; vhereupon NJ
Parker asked her TO come the next morl
ing. aud. in paren,hesis, and ss II we're
matter OF small moment. mentioned h
compensation she should receive, He bel
the door open rs she passed oat, and the
followed her down stairs .. bccomiu
distance More than once. rs he wake
up the avenue TO his room, be questione
the wisdom Of bis speedy decision: br
whenever a doubt arose il was instantl
confronted by that graceful and iinel
poised figure. aud was dissolved into thi
air. More than once, too, shade OF an
noyauce rested on bis face at the though
OF the missing manuscript, but the sol
splendor OF the October afternoon an,
brilliant throng OF carriages and pedestri
ans crowding the avenues diverted hi
mind from his work and made him keenl,
receptive OF the movement aud charm O
his surroundings.
The next morning at the appointed tim,
Miss Furgerson was at her desk. He
training WAS Immediately evident; sh,
seemed to know what was TO be done b,
instinct. and needed no further direction
than hint. la week she had not only
mastered the details Of her work. but by
systematization had so reduced II that she
asked for more and had been assigned
more difficult and exacting tasks.
Mr. Parker had brief intervals with her
and treated her with the studious courtesy
that he accorded to all women. lie
watched her work closely. and noted the
fact that she was not only exact. bu. show.
cd q general intelligence far beyond the
requirements Of her position. Meanwhile
;he missing manuscript had not been
found, and the editor was becoming hard
oned on the subject when note, in DEL
icate feminine hand, reached him through
the mail one morning, aud reminded him
that, though the sketch had been 10 bis
hands more than a month, no intimation
of It's fate had reached the writer. In-
stantly Mr. Parker's perplexity returned,
increased four fold; the sketch had i'm
pressed him as very original and striking
piece OF work, and he was really anxious
to print it; he was disappointed, there
fore, as an editor keenly alive to the value
Of good work, and he was also embarrass-
cd in sending any communication TO the
author. Suppose she bad kept no copy,
or had destroyed the original drafti He
was at his wits end, when his eyes fell
upon small case OF manuscripts that for
lack OF return postage or failure to send
addresses, had been filed until called for;
I was barely possible that the missing
bad strayed into that reposi-
ory OF unsuccessful literature. Just be.
lore leaving the office that afternoon, he
sent for Miss Furgerson.
II am in dreadful dilemma, Miss Fur
yerson," be said, smiliugly. II have loit
manuscript. or at least, mislaid it. 1t
vas story entitled John Dolline's Quest,
md was written, if my recollection serves
ne, on unruled letter paper. The story
vas so remarkable that / should exceed
ngly regret to lose it, 10 say nothing OF
ny embarrassment in conveying the fact
o the writer. 1t is barely possible that
be manuscript has been put into this
'ase, and ! am going to ask you to make
he search"
AT the mention of the name OF the mis-
aid manuscript Miss Furgerson had
lushed slightly, and when Mr. Parker had
nded she said, hesitatingly: did you
ay it WAS story?"
"Yes, or, perhaps. more accurately,
haracter study OF uncommon power. II
ave an account Of man who, in 9 mo-
nent OF great temptation, committed sin
nd lost oil sense OF his personal identity.
nd whose whole subsequent life was
earch for himself II was very striking
iece Of work"
Miss Ferguson had already turned to
be case, aud Mr.. Parker did not see the
eepened color on her face. He had no
ooner gone than she abruptly closed the
title glass doors aud returned to her desk.
he next morning Mr.. Parker was delight
q 10 find John Doline's Quest lying on
is desk; be was so thoroughly pleased
nat he failed to note how tired Miss Fer
uson looked when he went into her room
, thank her, or the more singular fact
Eat the manuscripts lacked both date and
umber.
A month later John Dolline's Quest
as in the hands OF 10000 readers in all
arts Of the world, and cnriously enough,
,ey sgreed with the editor 10 their judg-
ent OF it's literary quality. II was GER
Iinly q sketch OF very unusual kind; the
otive was subtle enough to arouse the
terest Of the most intellectual, and il
as wrought out with the most delicate
terary skill, aud with boldness and
gor Of construction which gave it in-
ant popularity. Everybody who read !,
liked about it; the lesser newspaper
'pied it; two or three leading daies and
Ie foremost literary journals published
litorials on the moral aspects OF the
roblems presented by the unknown
ritter; for the story had been published
Mr.. Parker was over
helmed With Inquiries and letters; there
ere people in All parts Of the country |
ho had been wonderfully touched b,
John Dolline's Quest." and could moi
intent themselves with anything short OF
long letter TO the editor. The mails were
sibly increased 10 bulk by the CORES